1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method of manufacturing an insect-active assembly which can be attached to the garments of a person and which has "insect active" characteristic. The term insect active as used in the present specifications is intended to indicate that the article functions in regard to insect repellency, insecticidal action, or a combination of both, when placed in the intended environment on the garment of a person.
This invention specifically involves an improved process for preparing an insect-active assembly comprising a polymeric body which contains an insect-active composition, as a volatile plasticizer, which over time migrates from the polymeric body to provide the desired degree of insect-active action. The assembly can be affixed directly to the garment of a person by a variety of means including adhesive coatings and hook-and-loop fasteners. A major advantage of such an assembly is that it provides a degree of insect-activity without direct skin contact with the insect active agents; which may be physiologically harmful.
2. Description of Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,477, which is incorporated by reference, describes an assembly comprising a polymeric body which, contains an insect-active composition, which acts a volatile plasticizer. Over time the insect-active composition becomes fugitive and migrates from the polymeric body to provide the desired degree of insect-active action in the localized environment. The assembly can be affixed directly to the garment of a person by a variety of means including adhesive coatings and hook-and-loop fasteners. The major advantage of such an assembly is that it provides a degree of insect activity without direct skin contact with the insect active agents.
However the process by which this insect-active assembly is prepared, as demonstrated by the examples#1 & #2 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,477, exhibit certain manufacturing processes which could raise potential OSHA and environmental concerns. These concerns result from the high temperature blending of the insect-active composition with the polymeric body of the assembly. The technique described in examples #1 and #2 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,477, dearly demonstrate that very high temperatures (i.e. 300 degrees C.) are employed in order to attain the alloying, blending or intimate mixing of the two required components. However this high temperature blending process may result in the rapid loss of the expensive insect-active composition due to volatilization in the plant. As a direct consequence, problems of worker exposure to high levels of volatile fumes during high temperature processing may be expected. Such exposure could give rise to OSHA concerns. Additionally, the loss of such volatile and potentially toxic insect-active components to the atmosphere outside the plants parameter, could raise significant EPA concerns.
It became clear that an improved low temperature process was needed to avoid these high temperature processing problems; while still retaining the insect-active efficacy of the assembly. The instant invention represents such a significant improvement in the process for the preparation of the assembly described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,477.